Gotham Rooftops
by Prnyctina1091
Summary: Artemis has second thoughts about meeting Wally's parents (post-Auld Acquaintances, pre-Invasion) "Wally, you're the most normal thing in my life…" Her voice slightly cracks and a small smile starts to form on his face, "and you can break the sound barrier in your sneakers."


Hey All! I **SWEAR** i'm working on Spitfire's Infinite Playlist, it's just that this came out of no where and I finished it in like an hour and I just wanted to put it up.

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Artemis stares out at the Gotham city skyline as the sun sets in the distance. She was supposed to meet Wally at the Central City zeta tubes a half hour ago but she's trying not to think about that. She'd rather just watch the sun set and fiddle with the hem of her dress. The roof's access door creaks open and a familiar gust of wind washes over her. "Babe, you know I hate waiting." She can hear the playfulness in his tone but doesn't turn to face him. In a blink of an eye he's sitting next to her on the ledge of her apartment building. "What happened to meeting at the tube 33 minutes ago?" He's staring down at her, tapping his wrist watch, and waiting for an excuse as to why she didn't show up.

Artemis pulls her knees up to her chest and hugs them to her. "I don't think I can do this." She whispers it to her knees more so than to Wally, who just stares at her in utter confusion. "Do what? Dinner? It's not that hard, Artemis." He's keeping the mood light and she appreciates it. "Not that, Wally. Meeting your parents." He scoffs before he can stop himself and moves to put his arm around her shoulders. She doesn't push him off which he takes as a good sign. "Come on, Arty. You've been putting this off for four months. If Uncle Barry didn't vouch for me, my parents would think I made our entire relationship up."

Artemis stifles a small giggle and looks him in the eye. He can see the tears she refuses to let fall. She sniffles and quickly turns away. "It's just…they're so normal… Wally, what if they don't…"She stops before she can finish her sentence and just stares out at the dipping sun and skyline. "Don't what? Like you? Artemis, don't be crazy." He cringes at letting that word slip out and she quickly glances at him to gauge his facial expression. She can tell he immediately regrets it and she lets it go. Coming from her family, she knows a thing or two about psychotic people and she likes to pride herself on not being 'crazy'. She continues to stare off into the distance, "I don't care if people don't like me, Wally…" Her statement sounds confident, but Wally knows it's more of a mantra she chants to herself. "But I do care about what your parents think of me."

Artemis lets out a sigh and lets go of her knees to let her legs dangle off the side of the building. She places her hands behind her and leans on her palms. "What if they don't…_approve_ of me." She hesitates before meeting his eyes and when she does, he's wearing a shit-eating grin. She punches him in the arm and he lets out a small laugh as he massages the tender flesh. Artemis picks up her feet from their dangling position, and turns around to face the roof access door. "It's just…they're so normal and I'm…not." Wally runs a hand through his hair, a quirk she noticed he does when he's trying to be sincere. "If it's any consolation babe, I'm not exactly normal either. I'm Kid Flash, remember?"

Artemis turns to face him and he's wearing his signature smile that she secretly adores. "No, Wally. You _are_ normal. You have a supportive family that loves you and raised you right. And I'm…just another broken kid from Gotham." She looks down at the roof's floor. She blinks and Wally's standing in front of her, his hands at the side of her face. He gently lifts her head to look her in the eyes. "Artemis, you are _not_ broken." She meets his intense gaze, tears welling up in her eyes again. "Wally, you're the most _normal_ thing in my life…" Her voice slightly cracks and a small smile starts to form on his face, "and you can break the sound barrier in your sneakers." His smile falters and she pulls her head out of his grasp and turns her back to him.

She closes her eyes to stop the tears from spilling over. "I accepted a long time ago, that normal just wasn't an option for me…that I'd never get it because I wasn't one of the lucky ones. And then you came along and now I want it and I'm scared because …" Wally reaches for her hand and twirls her around using his super speed. She loses her balance and he catches her in his arms. "Artemis. You are the only person who can decide what you do and do not deserve… Us? We've earned that…and no one can take it away." Her eyes are boring into his and he can tell she's trying to believe him. "Some people are given things in life and some people have to work for them. I'm sorry you've had to work hard your entire life but … that determination; that fire that you just…exude…it's why I love you."

Artemis eyes widen with Wally's profession and he starts to panic. He'd known for a while now that he was in love with Artemis, but he hadn't planned on telling her like this. She had made it perfectly clear from day one that the 'L' word was not something to be tossed around lightly. He had wanted it to be romantic and not sound like it was something he said just to reassure her. But he wasn't going to take it back. "I love you, Artemis. Everything that you are, and I just want you to meet my parents because they're kind of a big part of my life…" a small chuckle escaped from his lips and his hand is back in his hair more so out nervousness than from sincerity. "And now, you are too."

Artemis lowers her gaze and stares at his chest, his arms still encircling her. He hears her whisper, "okay" and he physically relaxes. He's about to let her go and thinks about texting his mom a lame excuse about being late when Artemis wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him closer to her. Their foreheads touch and he can't think about anything else other than the fact that he loves her stormy grey eyes. "And Wally?" He smiles down at her, waiting for her to finish. "I love you too." He closes the gap between them and presses his lips to hers. He stops trying to suppress his smile when he feels her trying to suppress hers.


End file.
